Offbeat Vilnius: the capital of unexpected adventures
Vilnius isn’t a city that plays by the rules. Wander its streets and you’ll quickly find that the Lithuanian capital delights in surprises, from hot air balloon rides to passion-inducing pink soup to a neighborhood that declared itself an independent republic. Here history and humor, tradition and rebellion, share the same streets and keep them endlessly alive. For travelers chasing more than the ordinary, Vilnius is a city that transforms the unexpected into the unforgettable.
View from the sky: hot air balloon ride over Vilnius Old Town
Stepping into the basket of a hot air balloon is a bold yet magical way to see Vilnius, guided by the steady hands of an experienced pilot. From above, the Old Town unfurls in all its glory, with red-tiled roofs, winding cobbled streets, and spires that reach for the sky. A city that feels intimate on foot suddenly expands into something vast and intricate, a living mosaic shaped by centuries of history.
Looking down, you see how seamlessly Vilnius blends nature and culture: age-old streets are framed by forests and open spaces that let it breathe. Silence is part of the magic, broken only by the burner’s hiss before returning to pure stillness. It’s both exhilarating and peaceful, seeing the cityscape melt into a storybook scene. The ultimate way to sightsee carries a sense of weightless wonder that remains long after landing.
Timeless city: exploring the iconic landmarks of Vilnius
Venturing into the medieval Old Town, the city shifts into a different scale. Gediminas Castle Tower rises above it all, a beacon that has watched over Vilnius for centuries. Once a fortress of battles, it now stands as a symbol of peace and endurance, its presence overlooking spires and rooftops below. Recognized by UNESCO for its richness, the Old Town’s cityscape is layered with Gothic arches, Renaissance details, and baroque flourishes.
The skyline belongs to the churches: St. John’s with its soaring bell tower, St. Casimir’s crowned with a baroque dome. Yet the life of the Old Town lies equally in its meandering streets and cozy squares. History echoes in the stones, but so does the pulse of the present: markets spilling into the open air, cafés tucked into courtyards, music and conversation drifting through the evenings. Here, heritage and renewal move side by side, inseparable and dynamic.
Summer on a spoon: Lithuania’s passion for pink soup
Cold beetroot soup, “šaltibarščiai” isn’t just food, it’s a national love story. Bright, creamy, unapologetically pink, it looks almost too whimsical to be real, but one spoonful explains the devotion. Tangy with kefir, crunchy with cucumbers, topped with a hard-boiled egg and golden potatoes on the side, it’s as refreshing as summer itself.
Savoring it at a traditional spot like Restaurant Lokys reveals why this dish is ritual, not novelty. Vilnius even celebrates with a Vilnius Pink Soup Fest, where the city becomes a playground of flavor and color. In 2025, over 93,000 people joined in, proof of a passion that runs deep. Whether found in a tucked-away café or a festival square, pink soup is one of a kind, turning first tastes into instant adoration.
Vilnius’s rebel republic: discover the free spirit of Užupis
Just across the Vilnelė River from the Old Town, Užupis feels like stepping into another world. Once a forgotten corner of the city, it reinvented itself as a haven for artists and dreamers. On April 1, 1997, its residents declared a tongue-in-cheek independence, complete with a flag, currency, anthem, and a constitution. Displayed on a wall in 40 languages, its articles affirm not only the right to love and to be happy, but even the right to be unhappy. This mix of humor and idealism defines the district’s spirit, a reminder that imagination can be a form of resistance.
That spirit is everywhere you look. Anchored by the Vilnius Academy of Arts, Užupis has been drawing artists for decades, turning desolate spaces into hubs of creativity. It lives on in the Užupis Art Incubator, an open-air hub of murals, installations, sculptures, and even a piano in the river. The Angel of Užupis watches cafés that double as galleries and bars hosting live music and readings. On the riverbank sits the district’s famous mermaid, a small bronze figure said to lure wanderers who, once captivated, never truly leave. Užupis isn’t simply a district to visit. It is a community that insists on living differently, a pocket of Vilnius where art and freedom intertwine.
From confinement to creativity: touring Lukiškės Prison 2.0 by night
For more than a century, the walls of Lukiškės Prison held stories of confinement, its narrow corridors and heavy doors built to keep people in and the world out. Closed in 2019, the site has since transformed into Lukiškės Prison 2.0, a striking cultural space in the heart of Vilnius. Guided tours still reveal the stark cells and haunting corners of its past, but the atmosphere no longer feels heavy. Instead, there’s a sense of discovery, of history being reframed rather than hidden.
Today, the complex hums with creative energy. Over 200 artists and musicians have made studios here, making once-bleak rooms into centers of expression. Visitors might stumble across a concert in the courtyard, an art installation in a former cell, or even recognize the eerie setting from Stranger Things season 4. The prison is one of Vilnius’s boldest cultural reinventions, a reminder that even the darkest places can be reimagined into light.
Above it all: soar to new heights on the Vilnius TV Tower edge walk
The Vilnius TV Tower is more than a landmark: it’s an invitation to see the city from an entirely new perspective. Rising above the skyline, it offers one of the city’s boldest adventures: stepping outside, 170 meters above ground, to feel the wind whip past as if standing at the edge of the sky. From here, the city unfolds: the Neris winding past rooftops, green parks scattered below, and hills stretching to the horizon.
Time slows down at this height. The hum of the city falls away, replaced by the quiet thrill of suspension between earth and sky. For some, it’s an adrenaline rush; for others, a meditative pause. The TV Tower lets you see familiar streets from an unfamiliar angle, to feel both small and limitless. Step back inside, and the memory of the windy freedom lingers, the spirit of Vilnius captured high above it all.
The city that dares you: untold Vilnius
Vilnius isn’t a city you just visit—it’s one that challenges you, nudging you to look deeper and to take a chance. This bastion of creativity and quirkiness gets your imagination going, your adrenaline rushing, and your tastebuds singing to undiscovered tunes. Whether you’re imagining life as a prisoner or proclaiming yourself an ambassador of an independent republic, floating above red rooftops or standing on the edge of the sky, Vilnius refuses to be ordinary. It pulls you in, turns the expected upside down, and leaves you with stories you couldn’t have found anywhere else.
